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8 CONCRETE COVERED 2017 COATINGSPROMAG.COM
By Ben DuBose
Photos Courtesy of 3M Personal Safet y Division, Bosch Power
To o l s , F l o wc re t e A m e r i c a s , L AT IC R E T E I n t e r n a t i o n a l ,
Inc., Lig nomat US A Ltd., Marco, Nukote Coat ing Systems
Inte r n a t ion a l , Pa u l N. G a rd ne r Co., S e y mou r Mid we s t ,
Sher win-Williams P rotec t ive & Mar ine Coat ings, Tnemec
Company Inc., Tramex Meters, Westcoat Specialt y Coating
Systems, and W. R. Meadows
Cementing Success:
How Contractors Can
Navigate Concrete Projects
C
oncrete can be a complex substrate for many
coatings contractors to deal with. It is popular
around the world as a structural material — owing
to its cost-effective, strong, and durable properties
— and its applications can range from simple driveways to
massive bridges and showcase floors all the way to roof decks.
Nonetheless, concrete's versatility can also create its own set
of problems. For starters, it is inherently a porous substrate,
which makes even new pours vulnerable to moisture ingress.
Additionally, heav y use, constant wear and tear, and exposure
to outside elements can pose significant rehabilitation
challenges for older slabs.
"W hen you think about concrete in a nutshell and where
it is in the world, it's everywhere," said Geoff Paine, product
developer at coatings manufacturer Rust-Oleum. "Sidewalks,
roads, driveways, foundation walls, basements, building walls
— it's everywhere. We've got lots and lots of square footage
and opportunities to seal or treat concrete."
As a result, the process of treating a concrete surface is
usually more complex for a contractor than simply choosing
and applying a new coating or sealant. Strategies to comply
with industry standards and safety protocols can be critical,
along with knowledge of related phases that could be neces-
sary on any job, such as moisture measurement, localized
repairs, surface preparation, application tools, and even
inspection equipment.
"If you walk through concrete as a substrate, one thing
that is predictable is that it's unpredictable," said Ben Sieben,
vice president of marketing and research and development for
Seal-Krete, part of the Rust-Oleum family. "If you don't take
care of it, it's set up to fail."
To assist with this process, CoatingsPro spoke with indus-
try experts across all of these areas to get the inside scoop on
what coatings contractors should consider across each possi-
ble phase of a concrete project, along with a few of the numer-
ous potential solutions.
Safety First
Before starting any job, contractors should take proper safety
precautions. If safety concerns can't be engineered out of the
project, then other steps should be taken, such as the use of
personal protective equipment (PPE). For concrete substrates,
this can include items such as respiratory protection, protec-
tive clothing, gloves, goggles, boots, and hard hats in general
and fall protection when working at heights. Companies
such as Bullard, 3M, TurtleSkin by Warwick Mills, Ty vek by
DuPont, and Guardian Fall Protection are among the many
viable suppliers of those items.
In 2017, regulator y standards aimed at promoting safe
operations were raised higher than ever — with implica-
tions for both PPE and the coating products themselves.
As one example, updated U.S. Leadership in Energ y and
Environmental Design (LEED) building standards continue
to demand products that are low in odor and volatile organic
compounds ( VOCs).
"LEED v4 provides even higher scrutiny on bottled
chemicals in coatings," said Casey Ball, regional market
segment director for the flooring business at coatings
manufacturer Sherwin-Williams. "It's a push for us as
manufacturers to develop products that will meet these
tighter regulations. We're trying to develop low-VOC,
water-based, or otherwise [safer] products that meet VOC
regulations while still providing the same performance as
Concrete Covered
Strategies to comply with industry standards and safety protocols
can be critical, along with knowledge of related phases that could
be necessary on any job, such as moisture measurement, localized
repairs, surface preparation, application tools, and even inspection
equipment.